By ED BARK@unclebarkycom on TwitterNBC dealt the opposition a pair of crushing blows Monday night with the 12th edition launch of The Voice and the premiere of Taken.

Airing from 7 to 9 p.m., The Voice easily topped all prime-time programming with 407,182 D-FW viewers and 166,769 in the advertiser-coveted 18-to-49 age range.

Taken dropped off considerably but still cruised in the 9 p.m. hour with 232,675 total viewers and 83,385 within the 18-to-49 realm.

ABC had mixed returns with the first two hours of When We Rise, a four-part dramatization of the LGBT movement that will continue on Wednesday through Friday nights.

Rise performed dismally in total viewers, drawing just 72,711 to finish last from 8 to 10 p.m. in the Big Four broadcast network universe.

But well more than half of its audience -- 44,899 viewers -- was in the 18-to-49 motherlode. That was good enough to finish second from 8 to 10 p.m. in competition with CBS’ Superior Donuts, 2 Broke Girls and Scorpion, Fox’s APB and Fox4’s local newscast. Like all networks, ABC would much rather be strong demographically. So Rise’s performance among 18-to-49-year-olds is a fairly big plus in that context.

Here are Monday’s local news derby results, with just two more weekdays remaining before the end of the February ratings “sweeps.”

NBC5 and TEGNA8 tied for first place in total viewers at 10 p.m. while the Peacock was alone on top with 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming).

Fox4 and NBC5 shared the 6 a.m. lead in total viewers, with Fox4 keeping the 25-to-54 gold to itself.

Fox4 swept the 5 p.m. competitions and also won at 6 p.m. with 25-to-54-year-olds. TEGNA8 ranked first at 6 p.m. in total viewers.

Nor was it the Oscar-cast as a whole, at least in the D-FW ratings. Sunday night’s 3 hour, 45 minute ceremony, hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and ending in embarrassment, averaged 763,466 total viewers and 339,953 in the advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-old demographic.

That’s a significant drop-off in total viewers from the 2016 ceremony hosted by Chris Rock. It drew 878,218 viewers, which was down pretty sharply from the 1,004,256 for the 2015 Oscars hosted by Neil Patrick Harris. The fall-off wasn’t as steep among 18-to-49-year-olds. The Rock-hosted Oscars had 346,151 viewers in this key demographic while Harris and the 2015 show drew 428,197 viewers in the 18-to-49 realm.

The gaffe seen and heard ‘round the world came in the closing 15-minute segment, from 11 to 11:15 p.m. That’s when Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway announced that La La Land was the year’s Best Picture. The “winners” were well into their acceptance remarks before being notified that Moonlight in fact was the night’s climactic choice. PriceWaterhouseCoopers, longtime guardian of the winning envelopes, later apologized for the presenters being “given the wrong category envelope” and said it is “currently investigating how this could have happened.”

The screwup came with many potential D-FW viewers either in bed, asleep or tired of the whole thing. Oscar’s closing 15-minute segment was the least-watched of the night, with 625,315 total viewers and 282,225 in the 18-to-49 age range.

The Oscars still smashed all competing programming. Fox4’s 9 p.m. local newscast fared the best in direct competition, drawing 130,880 total viewers.

In Friday’s prime-time Nielsens, CBS’ 8 p.m. episode of Hawaii Five-0 topped all programming in total viewers with 254,489 while ABC’s competing hour of Shark Tank was tops with 18-to-40-year-olds (38,485).

On Thursday, CBS’ The Big Bang Theory as usual led all prime-time attractions in both ratings ratings measurements with respective totals of 349,013 and 131,491 viewers.

Wednesday night’s top performers were Fox’s Lethal Weapon in total viewers (254,489) and ABC’s Modern Family with 18-to-49-year-olds (99,420).

CBS has pulled Doubt from its Wednesday night lineup after airing just two episodes in the 9 p.m. hour. And on Thursday, the death of Bill Paxton apparently will mean the end of Training Day, in which he co-starred. The series had been performing poorly ratings-wise at 9 p.m.

Here are the Wednesday-Friday local news derby results, with just three weekdays now remaining in the February “sweeps” ratings period.

Wednesday -- TEGNA8 won in total viewers at 10 p.m. while Fox4 had the most 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming).

Fox4 swept the 6 a.m. competitions and NBC5 did likewise at both 5 and 6 p.m.

Thursday -- TEGNA8 again drew the most total viewers at 10 p.m., but NBC5 ran first with 25-to-54-year-olds.

Fox4 had twin wins at 6 a.m. and NBC5 won at 5 and 6 p.m. in the 25-to-54 measurement. Fox4 and TEGNA8 tied for the most total viewers at 5 p.m., and TEGNA8 had first place to itself at 6 p.m.

Friday -- CBS11 broke through with a 10 p.m. win in total viewers, but NBC5 was tops with 25-to-54-year-olds.

Fox4 stayed strong at 6 a.m. with another sweep and also ran the table at 5 p.m. NBC5 and TEGNA8 shared the total viewer spoils at 6 p.m. while the Peacock took the sole gold among 25-to-54-year-olds.

By ED BARK@unclebarkycom on TwitterTuesday’s two thoroughbreds, NCIS and This Is Us, again punched winning tickets in the prime-time Nielsens.

The CBS evergreen topped all D-FW attractions in total viewers with 407,182. And NBC’s first-year smash easily drew the most advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-olds (147,527). This Is Us also won its 8 p.m. hour in total viewers with 319,928. And NCIS took its 7 p.m. slot in the 18-to-49-year-old demographic (70,556).

In a split decision at 9 p.m., CBS’ NCIS: New Orleans had the most total viewers (254,489) while NBC’s Chicago Fire led among 18-to-49ers with 44,899.

ABC again had the most have-nots throughout the night, although Fox’s 7 p.m. episode of New Girl drew the fewest total viewers (a sub-paltry 36,356). ABC’s 8:30 p.m. episode of The Real O’Neals set the prime-time low bar in the 18-to-49 realm with 12,828. Both comedies are looking like virtually certain cancellations after playing out their strings.

Here are the local news derby results for the 14th weekday of the February “sweeps.”

CBS11 ranked first in total viewers at 10 p.m., while NBC5 edged Fox4 and TEGNA8 for the top spot with 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming).

Fox4 had twin wins at 6 a.m. and NBC5 swept the 5 and 6 p.m. competitions in both ratings measurements. The sweeps end next Wednesday, March 1st.

By ED BARK@unclebarkycom on TwitterAfter two weeks of trailing behind Fox’s two new action dramas, ABC’s The Bachelor began smelling like a ratings rose again Monday night. Or at least a carnation.

The latest two-hour dollop led from 7 to 9 p.m. in total D-FW viewers (196,320) while also winning its time slot among advertiser-coveted 18-to-49-year-olds (70,556). A strong local angle was in play. Dallasite Rachel Lindsay, already announced as the first African-American star of The Bachelorette, ostensibly is still in the running to be current bachelor Nick Viall’s true love. On Monday’s edition, she took him home to meet the parents in a faux ritual that obviously won’t pay off in the end.

In the Big Four broadcast network arena, Fox’s 7 p.m. attraction, 24: Legacy, fell to last place in total viewers during that hour and beat only CBS’ 7:30 p.m. episode of Man With a Plan in the 18-to-49 demographic. Fox’s 8 p.m. hour of APB fared a bit better in total viewers, outdrawing the second hour of NBC’s competing American Ninja Warrior in total viewers. But it ran an across-the-board fourth with 18-to-49-year-olds.

The 9 p.m. hour went to CBS’ Scorpion in both ratings measurements, with Fox4’s local newscast taking the silver.

On Sunday night, CBS ran first in total viewers from 7 to 9 p.m. with the lone free broadcast network airing of The Good Fight (167,235 viewers) plus NCIS: Los Angeles (218,133). Fox4’s 9 p.m. local news then took over with 167,235 viewers. The remaining nine episodes of Good Fight’s first season will be available only on the CBS All Access streaming site, which’ll cost you extra.

NBC’s three-hour 90th anniversary tribute to itself averaged 152,693 viewers from 7 to 10 p.m., beating TNT’s dunking, defense-less NBA All-Star game (116,338 viewers). But it was a different outcome among 18-to-49-year-olds, with the 192-182 West win over the East pacing all Sunday night programming with 76,970 viewers. The next closest attraction, ABC’s 7 to 9 p.m. airing of the animated Disney film Tangled, drew 51,314 viewers in the 18-to-49 realm while NBC’s three-hour shebang fizzled to 38,485 viewers in this key demographic.

Saturday night’s NBA All-Star preliminaries on TNT, headlined by the three-point shooting and slam dunk competitions, pulled in 101,795 total viewers and 64,142 in the 18-to-49 age range. Fox4’s 9 p.m. local newscast did better in total viewers with 167,235, which led all prime-time programming. But the All-Star stuff easily topped the 18-to-49 demographic.

On Friday, the prime-time pacesetters as usual were CBS’ 9 p.m. episode of Blue Bloods in total viewers (254,489) and ABC’s 8 p.m. hour of Shark Tank among 18-to-49-year-olds (41,692)

Here are the local news derby results for the 12th and 13th weekdays of the February “sweeps.”

NBC5 had twin wins at both 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. The 5 p.m. golds went to the Peacock in total viewers and Fox4 with 25-to-54-year-olds.

Monday -- Two of the four major TV news providers -- Fox4 and NBC5 -- did the holiday exemption mambo in deference to President’s Day. So their Feb. 20th ratings won’t be counted in the overall sweeps averages.

TEGNA8 and CBS11 played for keeps, with TEGNA8 taking most of the hardware. The ABC station ran first at 6 a.m. and 6 p.m., had the most total viewers at 5 p.m. and the most 25-to-54-year-olds at 10 p.m. CBS11 won in total viewers at 10 p.m. and tied TEGNA8 for the top spot at 5 p.m. in the 25-to-54 measurement.

Had it played along, though, NBC5 would have been a dominant No. 1 in both ratings measurements at 5 and 6 p.m., and tied CBS11 for first in total viewers at 10 p.m. Fox4 would have won at 10 p.m. with 25-to-54-year-olds while tying TEGNA8 at 6 a.m. for the most total viewers. And now you know.

Jose and his wife, Jaclyn, are the new parents of twins Cameron and Julianna.

“I’ll always be thankful for the opportunity NBC5 gave me,” he said. “I worked alongside some of the best photojournalists in the country and I’m proud of the work we accomplished everyday . . . No egos. No BS. They always had your back. I learned a lot from them. I’m grateful for their input, both professionally and personally.”

Jose, who is scheduled to join WSB on March 13th, termed it a “legacy station considered to be one of the greatest in the country. I look forward to joining a team of veteran journalists who are committed to telling impactful stories in every newscast.”

By ED BARK@unclebarkycom on TwitterFebruary’s unseasonable warmth, with more of the same coming, is not lighting a fire under D-FW’s prime-time ratings. Absent any “arctic blasts,” many potential viewers apparently are getting out and about rather than hunkering down.

Delayed viewing will perk up most of these numbers over the next few days. Still, the same-night Nielsen ratings continue to be notably low during a “sweeps” month in which the Big Four broadcast networks are offering new series episodes night after night.

CBS’ Thursday night leadoff hitter, The Big Bang Theory, as usual led all programming with 356,284 viewers. It also drew the most advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-olds 112,249). Last year’s mid-February episode of Big Bang had 410,779 total viewers -- and that was against the opening half-hour of Fox’s American Idol.

ABC’s resident evergreen, Grey’s Anatomy, won from 7:30 to 8 p.m. in both ratings measurements. But its full-hour hauls were just 167,235 total viewers and 64,142 in the 18-to-49 realm.

CBS’ 8 p.m. episode of Mom won its half-hour in total viewers before the second half-hour of ABC’s Scandal tied CBS’ Life In Pieces from 8:30 to 9 p.m. Scandal ran first throughout the hour among 18-to-49-year-olds.

NBC’s Blacklist closed out prime-time with 9 p.m. wins in both ratings measurements. Again the numbers were hardly imposing -- 138,151 total viewers and 51,314 in the 18-to-49 age range. NBC’s superhero sitcom, Powerless, was the least-watched prime-time attraction across the board. So Powerless is a fitting title.

Here are Thursday’s local news derby results for the 11th weekday of the February sweeps.

TEGNA8 stayed solid at 10 p.m. with a win in total viewers while NBC5 again was No. 1 with 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming).

Fox4 swept the 6 a.m. competitions and also ran first with 25-to-54-year-olds at both 5 and 6 p.m. NBC5 and TEGNA8 tied for the most total viewers at 6 p.m. and the Peacock won outright in that measurement at 5 p.m.

Starring Katherine Heigl as a defense attorney whose showcase client is also her lover, Doubt opened at 9 p.m. with 123,609 viewers and 25,657 in the advertiser-craved 18-to-49-year-old demographic.

That was good enough to outdraw ABC’s competing Match Game (just about anything is), but otherwise bad enough for third place at 9 p.m. among the Big Four broadcast networks. NBC’s Chicago Fire led at that hour in total viewers with a hardly imposing 159,964 while Fox4’s local newscast was more comfortably on top with 18-to-49-year-olds (51,314).

The Fox network’s Lethal Weapon ranked as the top overall prime-time attraction in both total viewers (269,031) and 18-to-49-year-olds (83,385).

Here are Wednesday’s local news derby results at the halfway point of the 20-weekday February “sweeps.”

TEGNA8’s 10 p.m. newscast continued to impressively rebound from skimpy ABC lead-ins, at least in total viewers. It won in that measurement but slipped to a fairly distant third behind frontrunner NBC5 and runner-up Fox4 among 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming).

Fox4 ran the table at 6 a.m. and TEGNA8 placed first in total viewers at 5 and 6 p.m. The 25-to-54 wins went to NBC5 at 5 p.m. and Fox4 at 6 p.m.

By ED BARK@unclebarkycom on TwitterNetworks competing with CBS took an arrow to the heart on Valentine’s night, with only NBC’s This Is Us getting some love.

NCIS as usual led off the night with a big win in total D-FW viewers (399,911) before CBS’ Bull (298,115) and NCIS: New Orleans (319,928) held serve from 8 to 10 p.m.

The two NCIS hours also won their time slots with advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-olds. But the 8 p.m. hour belonged to This Is Us, prime-time’s runaway top scorer in that key demographic with 115,456 viewers.

ABC in contrast scraped bottom with its 8:30 to 10 p.m. combo of The Real O’Neals and Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. They shared Tuesday’s lows in total viewers among the Big Four broadcast networks with 29,084 apiece. Real O’Neals had the smallest haul of 18-to-49-year-olds (6,414) while S.H.I.E.L.D. was close behind (9,621).

On KERA13, the 9 p.m. premiere of the documentary film Tower (which revisited the 1966 mass shootings on the University of Texas campus), had 29,084 total viewers and 3,207 in the 18-to-49 age range.

Here are Tuesday’s local news derby results for the ninth weeknight of the February “sweeps.”

CBS11 drew the most total viewers at 10 p.m. while NBC5 was tops with 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming).

Fox4 had twin wins at both 6 a.m. and 5 p.m., and NBC5 swept the 6 p.m. competitions.

By ED BARK@unclebarkycom on TwitterFox and Fox4 mostly stayed on top Monday with a prime-time lineup of 24: Legacy, APB and the 9 p.m. local news.

Paced by the 8 p.m. episode of APB, all three won their time slots in total D-FW viewers. Among advertiser-coveted 18-to-49-year-olds, the first hour of ABC’s The Bachelor nipped 24: Legacy before APB and Fox4’s news reclaimed first place for the rest of the night.

The second episode of APB was the top prime-time scorer in both ratings measurements with 218,133 total viewers and 83,385 in the 18-to-49 age range.

NBC’s Celebrity Apprentice bowed out with a season (and possibly series finale) that ran last at 8 p.m. among the Big Four broadcast networks with 101,795 total viewers and 22,450 in the 18-to-49 realm. But ABC’s 9 p.m. hour of Quantico was prime-time’s biggest bomb in total viewers with just 65,440. Quantico, Celebrity Apprentice and NBC’s Timeless forged a three-way tie for the smallest number of 18-to-49-year-olds.

Here are the local news derby results for the eighth weekday of the February “sweeps.”

By ED BARK@unclebarkycom on Twitter Fort Worth-based NBC5 is replenishing its weather team with Keisha Burns, who is scheduled to start at the station on Feb. 27th.

She replaces Remeisha Shade, who left NBC5 in late November after a six-year stay. Neither party has been willing to comment any further on the reasons for her departure.

Burns is joining NBC5 from Seattle’s NBC affiliate, KING-TV, and NWCN (Northwest Cable News), which recently went off the air. She spent the last seven years in Seattle. Burns also has worked at Bend, Oregon’s KTVZ-TV.

In making the announcement late Monday afternoon, NBC5 vice president of news Mark Ginther said that Burns “primarily will work mornings,” with a regular assignment on the weekend A.M. newscasts. She’ll also “assist” on some weekday morning editions. Incumbent meteorologist Brian James will move from weekend mornings to evenings.

Burns grew up in Southern California, but also has family in North Texas, Ginther said.

By ED BARK@unclebarkycom on TwitterCBS got a big tune-in for the Grammys Sunday night, with Adele dominating both the major awards and the performance stage.

Her mid-song request for a do-over on a George Michael tribute song helped the show to run 11 minutes past its scheduled 10:30 p.m. finish. But the second time around was much better while her mid-course correction will live on in Grammy lore as a bonafide, heartfelt moment, complete with f-bomb (for which she profusely apologized).

Hosted by first-timer James Corden, the 59th annual Grammys averaged 661,670 D-FW viewers and 288,639 in the advertiser-coveted 18-to-49-year-old demographic. Nothing else came even remotely close. And the numbers were slightly up from last year’s awards, which drew 658,663 total viewers and 285,813 in the 18-to-49 age range.

On Saturday, NBC’s Saturday Night Live, with Alec Baldwin hosting for a record 17th time, led all programming in the day or night with 196,320 total viewers and 96,213 in the 18-to-49 realm. That swamped ABC’s marquee prime-time NBA game in which Kevin Durant returned to Oklahoma City for the first time since jumping to the Golden State Warriors. Golden State’s rout of the Thunder averaged 109,067 total viewers and 44,899 in the 18-to-49 motherlode.

Friday night’s top scorers were CBS’ Blue Bloods in total viewers (247,217) and CBS’ Hawaii Five-0 among 18-to-49-year-olds (44,899).

Here are Friday’s local news derby results for the seventh weekday of the February ratings “sweeps.”

TEGNA8 won at 10 p.m. in both total viewers and 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming).

Fox4 and NBC5 tied for the most total viewers at 6 a.m. while the Peacock won outright with 25-to-54-year-olds.

TEGNA8 swept the 6 p.m. competitions. The 5 p.m. golds went to NBC5 in total viewers and CBS11 in the 25-to-54 age range.

Both the Peacock’s Powerless and CBS’ Training Day played dead with their second episodes.

At 7:30 p.m., Powerless hit Thursday’s prime-time low in total viewers with just 65,440 in the Big Four broadcast network universe. The superhero sitcom also placed last at 7:30 p.m. among advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-olds with just 32,071.

Training Day ran fourth in total viewers at 9 p.m. with 72,711. Even worse for CBS, its latest crime hour hit Thursday night’s low in the 18-to-49 demographic (a paltry 19,243 viewers).

CBS as always fared much better with The Big Bang Theory, which led off the night with 356,284 total viewers and 188,663 in the 18-to-49 age range.

ABC then flexed a little, winning in both total viewers and 18-to-49-year-olds from 7:30 to 9 p.m. with the second half of Grey’s Anatomy and Scandal.

The 9 p.m. golds went to NBC’s The Blacklist in total viewers and ABC’s How to Get Away with Murder among 18-to-49-year-olds.

Here are Thursday’s local news derby results for the sixth weeknight of the February “sweeps” ratings period.

NBC5 swept the 10 p.m. competitions in total viewers and 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming), with TEGNA8 notching a pair of close seconds.

The Peacock and Fox4 tied for the top spot in total viewers at 6 a.m., but NBC5 had first place to itself with 25-to-54-year-olds.

TEGNA8 ran first at both 5 and 6 p.m. in total viewers. The wins with 25-to-54-year-olds went to NBC5 at 5 p.m. and Fox4 at 6 p.m.

By ED BARK@unclebarkycom on Twitter Led by Lethal Weapon, Fox again set the prime-time pace Wednesday, but not with much ratings firepower.

Weapon was the night’s overall top draw, with 261,760 D-FW viewers in the 7 p.m. hour. It also drew more advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-olds -- 73,763 -- than any other prime-time attraction.

Fox’s Star then fell to 159,964 total viewers and 60,935 in the 18-to-49 age range. NBC’s competing Law & Order: SVU narrowly won the 8 p.m. hour in total viewers with 167,235. Among 18-to-49-year-olds, Star’s first half-hour was nipped by ABC’s Modern Family (60,935 viewers) before building its audience slightly to run first in this key demographic from 8:30 to 9 p.m.

Fox4’s 9 p.m. local newscast won its slot in both ratings measurements among the Big Four broadcast networks. But the numbers again were pedestrian (167,235 total viewers and 51,314 in the 18-to-49-year-old motherlode).

Over on FX, the 9 p.m. premiere of the acclaimed Legion drew 43,627 total viewers, but with more than half of them (25,657) in the 18-to-49 realm. Back-to-back late hour repeats added a combined 36,356 viewers and 22,450 in the 18-to-49 demo.

Here are the local news derby results for the fifth weekday of the February “sweeps” ratings period.

NBC5 and TEGNA8 tied for first place at 10 p.m. in total viewers while Fox4 won among 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming).

Fox4 took the 6 a.m. gold in total viewers and tied NBC5 for the top spot with 25-to-54-year-olds.

The Peacock again swept the 5 and 6 p.m. battles in both ratings measurements.

By ED BARK@unclebarkycom on TwitterDuring The Dallas Morning News’ “Unique and Unduplicated” phase, major staff-driven stories were expected to meet that criteria. If you could read pretty much read the same stuff elsewhere, then forget about it.

That particular tagline is long gone, but the need to differentiate is all the more imperative in times when consumers are spread-eagled among a myriad of media choices. The traditional go-to sources, newspapers and television newscasts, are increasingly hard-pressed to keep their circulations from decreasing to the points of no return.

Dallas-based TEGNA8’s long-form Verify Road Trip series, incubated at last summer’s national political conventions with shorter dispatches, is a TEGNA corporate initiative designed to set its owned stations apart with storytelling that both invests and investigates. Reporter David Schechter, arguably the last true stylist in the D-FW market, is the free-and-easy leading man for the series. His setups are identical: “My name is David Schechter. I’m a veteran reporter, and now I work for you. I’m taking real people out on the road to get their questions answered. And you’re coming along for the ride.”

His pieces are given ample room to stretch out -- averaging about eight minutes apiece. That’s a commendable and very unusual investment of both time and money. TEGNA’s Road Trip game plan also calls for Schechter’s reports to air on the corporation’s other Texas stations in Houston, San Antonio, Austin, etc.

The first extended Road Trip turned out to be kind of a silly idea. Schechter and a designated commoner, in that case a third grade teacher, sought to “verify” what the famed Marfa Lights actually are -- a mystery or solvable by science. They came to no conclusion after succumbing to a paranormal road already well-traveled by a variety of local and national media outlets.

But subsequent Road Trips have asked questions of real value about Texas’ water supply, the Black Lives Matter movement and whether a border wall in reality is workable or needed. Schechter’s latest segment, which aired early in Wednesday’s 10 p.m. TEGNA8 newscast on the fifth weeknight of the February ratings “sweeps,” addressed another major Donald Trump campaign promise. Can his administration deliver on bringing back lost American jobs?

Schechter’s traveling companion was a Rockwall single mother named Theresa, who is unemployed and trying to raise four children on her own.

They first visited a Rockwall metal shop whose workers make a livable wage of between $20 and $30 an hour, according to an employee who showed Theresa how to bend metal.

Hitting the road, by plane this time, Schechter and Theresa then visited Matamoros, Mexico with accompanying “guide” Dr. Thomas Coyle, an expert in international trade. He schooled them on failing Texas companies who stayed alive only by relocating across the Texas border to employ cheap $2 an hour labor. The goods are then transported back to Texas tax-free. End result: the companies survive and American consumers pay less for the products now made in Mexico.

The last stop was Lone Star, TX, where U.S. Steel Tubular Products is still ticking, but has laid off thousands of workers, according to the acting president of the local United Steel Workers union. Theresa got choked up at the thought of the many families who had relied on the company for their well-being.

So what truths did Schechter and Theresa discover together? She concluded that Trump “makes it sound too simple” in terms of bringing jobs back by strong-arming companies to either return to America or face very stiff penalties for leaving.

“You’re verifying that we really can’t bring our jobs back,” Schechter told her. Yes, she agreed, but is hopeful that new ones can be created.

Schechter sometimes over-reaches in terms of keeping these segments in line with their overall “Verify” tagline. Gray areas remain, and even a bounteous eight minutes of television time can’t erase them. Still, this is an innovative and informative way to do something quite different in hopes of establishing an “appointment” viewing habit. TEGNA8 amply promotes its “Verify Road Trip” segments in hopes they’ll someday become ingrained and even eagerly anticipated by some.

Wednesday’s 10 p.m. newscast ratings didn’t provide any verifiable evidence. TEGNA8 overcame a lousy lead-in from ABC’s Match Game to tie NBC5’s late night news for the most total viewers. But each station had just 130,880 viewers in a market with 7.27 million. And among 25-to-54-year-olds (the main advertiser target audience for news programming), TEGNA8 ran last behind Fox4, NBC5 and CBS11.

The truth sometimes hurts. But TEGNA8 and its corporate owner at least are trying to move the needle in unconventional ways, with Schechter a good fit for this particular adventure.

CBS’ 7 p.m. episode of NCIS topped all attractions in total D-FW viewers with 407,182. And the Peacock’s 8 p.m. hour of This Is Us ranked as the runaway biggest draw among advertiser-coveted 18-to-49-year-olds with 202,047. NCIS also won its time slot with 18-to-49ers, as did This Is Us in the total viewers measurement.

At 9 p.m., CBS’ NCIS: New Orleans ran first in total viewers with 218,133 while NBC’s Chicago Fire took the 18-to-49 gold with 86,592.

ABC’s 8:30 p.m. episode of The Real O’Neals super-tanked with the night’s puniest showings in both total viewers (36,355) and 18-to-49-year-olds (9,621).

Here are Tuesday’s local news derby results for the fourth weekday of the February “sweeps” ratings period.

CBS11 pulled in the most total viewers at 10 p.m. while Fox4 led with 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming).

TEGNA8 had the most total viewers at 6 a.m. and NBC5 was tops with 25-to-54-year-olds.

There are some early morning numbers of note here. TEGNA8 won in total viewers for the second weekday of the ongoing sweeps with just a 1.0 rating (72,711 viewers in a market of 7.271 million). And among 25-to-54-year-olds, CBS11 faded to near total invisibility with 3,007 in a market with 3.067 million in this age range. In comparison, NBC5, Fox4 and TEGNA8 were closely bunched. The Peacock led with 42,094, followed by Fox4 (39,087) and TEGNA8 (36,080).

These are not heartening numbers for any of the four major combatants. Once considered fertile ground for viewership growth, the early mornings instead are becoming the equivalent of a setting sun, at least on area television screens.

NBC5 otherwise continued to enjoy boom times in the early evening. The Peacock ran the table at 5 p.m., tied TEGNA8 at 6 p.m. for the most total viewers and won outright with 25-to-54-year-olds.

The available viewing pool presumably is considerably older at 5 and 6 p.m., with many younger ones still at work or on the way home in rush hour traffic. Still, NBC5’s 25-to-54 totals at 5 and 6 p.m. both exceeded the station’s 6 a.m. showing in this key news demographic.

She’s scheduled to start on Monday, Feb. 20th after spending three years at KIRO-TV, Seattle’s CBS affiliate. Guerrero also has worked at TV stations in Baton Rouge, LA, Madison, WI and Albuquerque, NM.

The Juarez, Mexico native, who grew up in Lufkin, TX, is bilingual and also will do some reporting for NBC5’s sister station, Spanish language Telemundo 39, the stations announced Tuesday.

NBC5 Vice president of news Mark Ginther, in a memo to staffers, described Guerrero as a “passionate reporter and a strong storyteller.”

By ED BARK@unclebarkycom on TwitterFox’s regular night and time premiere of 24: Legacy, followed by the debut of APB, put the network back on Monday’s prime-time map.

After a post-Super Bowl LI showcase (and a less than stellar showing), 24: Legacy drew 225,404 D-FW viewers in the 7 p.m. hour, losing only to CBS’ leadoff sitcom, Kevin Can Wait (232,675). But the new Jack Bauer-less version, with Islamic terrorists again at large, beat all competing programming among advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-olds by drawing 89,799 of ‘em.

APB, in which a cocksure hi-tech billionaire steps in to “save” a crime-ridden Chicago, then pulled in 247,217 total viewers and 73,763 in the 18-to-49 age range to sweep the 8 to 9 p.m. Nielsens in both ratings measurements.

Monday night’s usual pacesetter, ABC’s The Bachelor, fell to third from 7 to 8 p.m. in total viewers before running second in the 8 p.m. hour. Among 18-to-49-year-olds, it lost to Kevin Can Wait in addition to the two Fox dramas (but by just a hair to APB).

At 9 p.m., CBS’ Scorpion had the most total viewers (196,320) while Fox4’s local newscast was tops with 18-to-49-year-olds (41,692).

Here are Monday’s local news derby results for the third weekday of the February ratings “sweeps.”

TEGNA8 and CBS11 tied for the most total viewers at 10 p.m., but Fox4 dominated with 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming).

Fox4 also returned to the top spot in the 6 a.m. competitions after a very slow start last week.

NBC5 ruled at both 5 and 6 p.m. in total viewers and 25-to-54-year-olds.

It surprisingly fell short of the 2015 game, though, and also couldn’t reach the heights of 2011’s Supie XLV from Jerry’s Palace.

The New England Patriots’ stunning recovery from a 28-3 deficit ended with their 34-28 overtime win over the Atlanta Falcons. The OT was a Super Bowl first, and no team had previously rallied from more than a 10-point hole in 50 previous championship games.

Sunday’s game, which ran from 5:37 to 9:24 p.m., averaged 2,675,765 D-FW viewers and 1,154,556 in the advertiser-coveted 18-to-49-year-old demographic. That’s considerably up from the Denver Broncos’ win over the Carolina Panthers in February, 2016. It pulled in 2,443,428 total viewers and 1,038,454 in the 18-to-49 age range.

The 2015 Super Bowl, in which the Patriots beat the defending champion Seattle Seahawks on a last-second goal line interception, had a higher overall crowd of 2,740,782 viewers in D-FW and also drew more 18-to-49-year-olds (1,258,366) than last night’s game.

The D-FW record-setter, since unclebarky.com came into existence in September 2006, is still 2011’s Super Bowl XLV from Jerry’s Palace, in which the Green Bay Packers edged the Pittsburgh Steelers 31-25 after a bizarre week of frigid, snowy and icy weather in North Texas. That game averaged 2,791,057 total viewers and had a peak crowd of 3,068,085 for the final quarter hour.

Sunday’s thriller likewise peaked in the final full 15-minute segment, with 2,908,440 viewers from 9 to 9:15 p.m.

Super Bowl LI also featured Lady Gaga’s flawlessly spectacular halftime show, which went from 7:13 to 7:25 p.m. after the first half ended at 7:03 p.m. In the 7 to 7:30 p.m. segment, Fox averaged 2,792,102 total viewers, up from 2,668,494 viewers for the 6:30 to 7 p.m. portion of the game.

Fox’s post-Super Bowl LI attraction, the premiere of 24: Legacy, then fell off a ratings cliff after starting at precisely 10 p.m. The one-hour opener averaged 385,368 total viewers and lost audience in each quarter-hour. Last year’s Super Bowl post-gamer, a special edition of CBS’ Late Show with Stephen Colbert, did slightly better with 396,614 total viewers. Six years ago, Fox’s post-Super Bowl XLV show, an extended episode of Glee, went through the roof in comparison with 983,449 D-FW viewers.

OK, let’s move briefly to Saturday night, where Fox’s 7 to 9 p.m. NFL Honors show included the announcement that Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones had been inducted into the Hall of Fame. It averaged an unimposing 123,609 total viewers and a measly 16,036 in the 18-to-49-year-old realm. All competing programming on ABC, CBS and NBC (save for ABC’s throwaway 7 to 7:30 p.m. NBA pre-game show) drew more 18-to-49-year-olds from 7 to 9 p.m.

In Friday’s prime-time Nielsens, CBS’ 9 p.m. episode of Blue Bloods comfortably led all programming in total viewers with 276,302. ABC’s 8 p.m. hour of Shark Tank again drew the most 18-to-49-year-olds (60,935).

Here are Friday’s local news derby results for the second weekday of the February “sweeps.”

After a dismal November sweeps performance, TEGNA8 is showing early signs of being on the comeback trail.

The station edged CBS11 for the most total viewers at 10 p.m. and tied NBC5 for the top spot among 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming).

At 6 a.m., TEGNA8 ranked first in total viewers and ran second to NBC5 in the 25-to-54 demographic.

Both 5 p.m. golds went to TEGNA8, which also was tops in total viewers at 6 p.m. NBC5 won at 5 p.m. among 25-to-54-year-olds, with TEGNA8 a close second.

It marked TEGNA8’s best single-day showing in recent memory and almost qualifies as an out-of-body experience for the struggling ABC affiliate. The February sweeps could hold some surprises.

LOCAL TV NEWS NOTE -- Fox4 is shuffling its early evening local news anchors. Starting on Monday, Feb. 6th, Steve Eagar and Heather Hays will be co-anchoring both the 5 and 6 p.m. editions. Clarice Tinsley moves from soloing at 5 p.m. to soloing at 5:30 p.m., where Eagar had been the only anchor. Tinsley will continue to solo at 10 p.m. after Eagar and Hays co-anchor the one-hour 9 p.m. news, in which Tinsley contributes social media segments.

By ED BARK@unclebarkycom on TwitterThree broadcast network series premieres dotted opening night of the February “sweeps” ratings period.

Only CBS’ Superior Donuts fared fairly well after being gifted with a big lead-in from The Big Bang Theory.

Big Bang as usual led all prime-time attractions Thursday with 378,097 D-FW viewers and 134,698 in the advertiser-prized 18-to-49-year-old demographic.

Donuts then dipped to 239,946 total viewers, good enough to tie the second half of ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy from 7:30 to 8 p.m. Grey’s also won that slot among 18-to-49-year-olds, with Donuts a solid second.

NBC’s 7:30 p.m. newcomer, the superhero sitcom Powerless, ran fourth in its time slot with 101,795 total viewers and 38,484 in the 18-to-49 realm.

At 9 p.m., the first episode of CBS’ Training Day placed third in total viewers with 123,609, edging Fox4’s competing local newscast. It was the same story with 18-to-49-year-olds. ABC’s How to Get Away with Murder ran first in both ratings measurements.

Wednesday brought mostly a batch of reruns. A fresh edition of Fox4’s 9 p.m. news topped all prime-time programs with 181,778 total viewers while CBS’ 8 p.m. reprise of Criminal Minds drew the most 18-to-49-year-olds (51,314).

On Tuesday night, President Trump’s 7 p.m. announcement of his first U.S. Supreme Court nominee gave CBS an overall win in total viewers with 203,591. Fox’s The Mick, a bonafide midseason hit, pulled in the most 18-to-49-year-olds (102,627 in the 7:30 p.m. slot).

Here are the Tues.-Thurs. local news derby results.

Tuesday -- TEGNA8 and CBS11 tied for the most total viewers at 10 p.m., but CBS11 was alone in first with 25-to-54-year-olds (main advertiser target audience for news programming).

NBC5 swept the 6 a.m. competitions while also winning at 5 p.m. in total viewers and 6 p.m. in the 25-to-54 demographic.

TEGNA8 drew the most total viewers at 6 p.m. and nipped both NBC5 and CBS11 for the top spot at 5 p.m. among 25-to-54-year-olds.

Wednesday -- TEGNA8 ran first at 10 p.m. in total viewers and tied NBC5 for the most 25-to-54-year-olds.

Fox4 won at 6 a.m. in both ratings measurements while the 6 p.m. golds went to TEGNA8 in total viewers and NBC5 with 25-to-54-year-olds.

At 5 p.m., Fox4 and TEGNA8 shared first place in total viewers and NBC5 took the 25-to-54 prize.

Thursday -- On the first day of the February “sweeps” ratings period, TEGNA8 started strong with 10 p.m. wins in both total viewers and 25-to-54-year-olds.

NBC5 swept the 6 a.m. competitions while the defending champ, Fox4, slipped to third place in both ratings measurements behind runner-up TEGNA8. The Peacock also prospered at 5 and 6 p.m., running the table at both hours.